New shopping center approved

The Adrian Planning Commission voted unanimously Tuesday to approve the site plan for a new shopping center to be built on the northwest corner of Baker Street and Caton Avenue.

The approval was contingent on several conditions being met.

The 5,000-square-foot shopping center is being developed by Herman's Investments LLC of Oak Park and is expected to have two 1,500-square-foot spaces for retail stores and space for a 2,000-square-foot pizza restaurant.

The restaurant would include eat-in seating and a drive-through window, said Norm Thomas, a representative of Herman's Investments.

The shopping center will face Baker Street and will have driveways on both Baker Street and Caton Avenue, according to city documents.

The site is now the location of an unoccupied mobile home park.

The site plan approval was made contingent on the developer completeing a fire hydrant flow test; the city forester approving landscaping plans; water detention system and traffic loading information being provided; details of the drive approaches being provided; combining land parcels; and submission of plans showing the sidewalks on Baker Street and Caton Avenue being 5 feet wide.

Planning commission chairman Mike Jacobitz questioned why the list of contingencies was so long. Thomas said there was a need for accelerated plan approval so utility improvements could be made before Caton Avenue is repaved this summer, after which the developer would not be allowed to cut into the street for the improvements.

Planning commission member Charles Jacobson recused himself from the vote because the developer of the new shopping center is the same person who owns International Diamond, of which Jacobson is manager.

Commission member Tom Blanton was not at the meeting.

After the meeting, Thomas said construction would probably begin in June.